I don't think so
by tammo
Summary: A confident newcomer falls for Helga while threatening to expose her deepest secret...
1. New Kid With a Secret!

Chapter One: "New Kid With a Secret!"  
  
  
  
The bus pulled into the school grounds, and all the kids piled out into the dreary overcast Monday.  
  
Helga: "Criminy, what slave drivers! I tell you, once off the bus, it's work work work!"  
  
Phoebe, perky and ready as usual: "Look at it this way, Helga. The earlier you start the more you can accomplish!"  
  
A silence from Helga: "Do I look like I care about accomplishing anything today?"  
  
No one cared to respond to that. It was just as well, since Mr. Simmons took his place at the front of the class then. Everyone resumed their standard positions of attention. For some that meant lounging half-asleep. Sid leaned over to whisper to Stinky.  
  
Sid: "New student. I saw him coming through the hall this morning."  
  
Mr. Simmons: "Ok class, I have an announcement before we begin today." He waved toward the door. "This is Silas. He will be a new student in our class, and I want you all to give him a warm welcome into our class."  
  
There was a murmur of hellos from them, and Silas simply smiled at the class. Mr. Simmons directed him to an empty seat behind Nadine, and he pulled out his supplies while Mr. Simmons started the lesson. Unfortunate for his first day, he began looking around at the other kids, and caught Helga looking at him. Immediately, she put on a mean face, and he looked away. Laughing to herself, Helga turned back to the front.  
  
Later at lunch, Helga, Arnold, Phoebe, and Gerald were walking across the grounds as Silas came up to them.  
  
Helga: "I can see things are going to go smoothly with Silas here."   
  
Arnold looked up at her. "You're not going to torment him like you do everyone else, are you?"  
  
Helga: "Of course not! He already knows about my reputation! Ha ha ha!"  
  
Silas came walking up to them.  
  
Silas: "Hi guys!"  
  
Gerald: "Hey. Where'd you come from anyway?"  
  
Silas: "Just up the freeway. I never had time to memorize the name of the school."  
  
Arnold: "You couldn't? You mean you left early?"  
  
Silas: "Yeah. My dad was moving between jobs a bit, but my mom convinced him to stay here permanently. He works farther in the city now."  
  
They were all silent for a moment, more of an awkwardness to them all, so Silas broke it.  
  
Silas: "Well, come on! I don't even know you people! Aren't you going to introduce yourselves?"  
  
They all did.  
  
Just then, a larger kid broke through their group, pushing past them all, and roughly shoving Silas to the ground. It wasn't a deliberate action, just as though he was in a hurry. Gerald helped him up.  
  
Gerald: "Why doncha watch where you're going!!!!"  
  
Silas brushed himself off and looked after the kid.  
  
Silas: "He looked kinda familiar."  
  
Helga: "Well, your friend almost got himself a fat lip from me!"  
  
Silas: "Not a friend. Just someone I used to know..."  
  
Arnold: "Let's just forget about it. I'm sure it was an accident anyway."  
  
They remained on the grounds until the bell rang, Silas proving himself to not be the quiet one most people took him for, but a friendly outgoing person everyone could like, even Helga. On the first day!  
  
Helga: "I'm home!"  
  
She had just arrived at her house, dropping her stuff in the entry hall and plopping down on the couch. Her mother didn't seem to notice her arrival, but she didn't notice much of anything these days. Not since the day when the nanny left the house. Helga still felt a little bad about what she had done, but easily got over it.  
  
Helga: "What's for dinner Miriam?"  
  
She was in the kitchen with papers spread all over the table, poring over them... Quite unusual. At least, since she didn't give her standard sigh like normal. Helga didn't really notice it, however. She simply ignored her and went to the fridge. Just a typical day except for the arrival of Silas. Normally it is quite eventful when a new student arrives, but Silas came in gracefully, foregoing all the standard curiosity that people feel towards them. Possibly passing by any type of bullying that might have occurred.  
Twas to be a boring night this one. She decided after a snack to head out to Gerald Field for a quick game before dinner.  
  
Unexpectedly, Silas was there. Unfortunately, he was in Helga's spot! This demanded justice!  
  
Helga: "Hey geekbate! I'm catcher! Get to the outfield!"  
  
Silas (smiling): "I'm sure you can deal with it this once Helga."  
  
Helga: "What? What did you say to me?"  
  
Silas: "You heard me." He laughed and stood up. "I'm catcher this game, Miss Pataki!"  
  
Helga made a fist: "Tell it to my friend. Once retired old Betsy!"  
  
Silas leaned towards her: "Try it..." His eyes were determined. Helga stared into them, and her fist unclenched. She backed away, and scowled.  
  
Helga: "Fine!" Then she smiled evilly. "We'll make a perfect team!" This led to her arm getting an uncanny strength to it, and she pushed Harold off the mound. "I'l take it from here big boy." Generally this wouldn't have been a big deal, but Silas' attitude sparked a chain-reaction of players changing positions at the expense of others. Not that it made much difference, though.  
  
First pitch... Helga's best to Harold as first up... Of course, a swing and miss. Silas reeled back from the ball when it struck his hand.  
  
Silas: "Ow! Man, what an arm!" He threw it back. "Strike!" He put his hand up when Harold turned to object. "Hey! You swung!"  
  
Second resulted in the same thing. Silas stood and threw it back. "One more buddy," he said to Harold.  
This time he hit it, straight into Helga. Her glove reacted just in time for the ball to hit her square in the gut. Rolling off the mound, she recovered the ball, and threw it to first just after Harold made it. She stood and rubbed her shoulder.  
  
Helga (to herself): "Maybe I should take it easy..." Then she saw the laughter on Silas' face, and gritted her teeth in a growl. "Not with him like that!"  
  
Arnold was up next.  
  
Helga: (after he misses once) "Come on, Arnoldo! Don't tell me you've lost your skills!"  
  
Misses again...  
  
Helga: "Whatsamatter with you football head? You hit like a loser! Are you really a loser?" She laughed, and he glared at her... Sighing, he readied for another.  
  
Hit. Of course. It allus hits when it's two strikes. It went out into the street, but Gerald threw it back in just as Harold was rounding third. Arnold stopped at second, and Silas braced himself as Harold came pounding in. They were both thrown to the dirt when they collided, and the ball flew away and hit Eugene in the head, knocking him flat.  
  
Harold stood.  
  
Harold: "Yeah! Eat that! In your face!" He pointed at Silas. "Ha ha ha!"  
  
Silas stood looking a little dazed. Everyone turned toward Eugene.  
  
Eugene stood shakily. "I'm okay..." Then he fell again.  
  
Helga stood with her hands on her hips, watching from the back. Phoebe came up to her and looked on as well.  
  
Phoebe: "Wow, Helga. You're sure pitching well today. I'm sure you'd be a much better candidate than Harold is. Despite the fact that they both got a hit off you."  
  
Helga: "Spare me your praise please Phoebes."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry I missed your game today."  
  
Helga: (scowling): "Lila."  
  
Lila came up behind them both, watching the group over Eugene.  
  
Lila: "Oh dear! What happened?"  
  
Helga: "Whadaya think? Eugene took another hit!" Lila hurried over to them as Eugene was standing shakily.  
  
Lila: "Are you okay?" Arnold came up to her.  
  
Arnold: "Lila! Where have you been?"  
  
Lila: "Oh my father and I had a few things to do before we went home." Harold came up between them.  
  
Harold: "Oh you shoulda seen it! That was the best run I ever made!"  
  
Arnold: "Yeah Harold. You really hurt Eugene though." He smiled and then started laughing. "Did you see Silas' face when you came in? That was great! He stood up pretty well though."  
  
Harold went off to cheer with everyone else when Eugene came around to reality again, his cheery old self.  
  
Arnold: "So Lila. Wanna stop by the park after the game today? I'll buy you an ice cream."  
  
Lila: "Sure Arnold. I would like that ever so much."  
  
Helga had been watching them and after what she heard, she ducked behind the nearest building.  
  
Helga: "Lila. What a sap. How I despise her. How could she go with him after the game? Doesn't she have some sort of... other thing to do?" She smiled. "Well, we'll see about that anyway. Just 'cause that yellow-haired shrimp has a stupid crush on her... Huh! What a boob!" She pulled out her locket. "And yet, my anger is only spurred by my jealosy. How I long to hear those words from my love to me. Why must I remain tormented by a dark angel hovering about, trying to steal the affections that I deserve? Oh Arnold, someday you'll be drawn to me and me alone! Ohhh..." She heard a bit of wheezing behind her, and her hand went into a fist. It grew closer, and she instinctively backhanded in it's direction. Smiling as she heard a body slump to the floor, she started back towards Phoebe.  
  
"Ha ha ha! Oh, that was great..."  
  
Helga stopped. It couldn't be! Brainy never said a word, even after she normally punched him! That sounded like...  
She turned around... And her face went angry again.  
  
Helga: "Hey! What are you doing here Silas?"  
  
Silas was leaning up against the building, rubbing his nose and laughing.  
  
Silas: "Ha ha ha! He told me it would be worth it! Oh Helga, I never knew you would be such a poet! He he he!"  
  
No one was around to see Helga go up to him and pull him up by the shirt.  
  
Helga: "Listen Silas! If you tell anyone about this, I swear I'll strangle you with my bare hands!"  
  
He stopped laughing for a moment.  
  
Silas: (mocking) "And yet, with all that on your soul, would you still have enough room in your heart for a certain football-head's affections?" He laughed again. "Ha ha!"  
  
Helga's fist came up to his face. Then she realized that he did have the upper hand. After a moment, she backed away.  
  
Helga: "You won't tell anyone about this! Ever!"  
  
Silas decided to leave the situation alone.  
  
Silas: "About what? Oh that! Well..."  
  
They were interrupted by Gerald coming around the corner.  
  
Gerald: "Silas, my man! Come on! The game was just getting good!" He saw Helga in the shadows, and stopped. "Oh, I thought you left since you couldn't strike them out."  
  
Helga remained in the shadows, her face showing a bit of fear while she looked at Silas. No one had ever stood up to her like that before, and if she couldn't control him, her life would be over! Silas looked back at her, and nodded with a smile.  
  
Helga: "What? For your information, Geraldo, I was just warming up! You know, not used to pitching and all. Not that you'd ever get a hit offa me! Hah!" She started back to the field.  
  
Silas: "Hey, why don't I be pitcher after you strike him out? I'm sure you're a much better pitcher than I could ever be anyway, and we need your skill to get this guy out!" He thumped Gerald on the shoulder, and laughed. "Wow, maybe you're stronger than I thought, Gerald. That's quite an arm! Think you can hit past me?"  
  
Gerald: (smiled) "Try me. Let's get this game on!"  
  
They continued the game for another hour, Silas losing his challenge to Gerald, and Eugene recuperating enough to watch, with coherance at least. After all, he did say he was okay. 


	2. A Challenge Met

Chapter 2: "A Challenge Met"  
  
  
  
It was business as usual the next day when Mr. Simmons came into class. As everyone could have guessed, he had a project up his sleeve, but his "special" attitude didn't make it due for another two weeks. Plenty of time. Everyone sat at their desks making notes to the assignment, except for Helga and Silas.  
Silas pretended to pay attention, but glanced several times at Helga, watching her face. Her eyes met his occassionally, but her evil look toward him was constant each time. He simply smiled disarmingly at her, and chuckled to himself.  
  
Helga: (to herself) "Criminy! That freak is toying with me! What am I going to do? I have to think of a way to silence him." She snapped her pencil in two. "Permanently. Let's see... He'd probably fly away just like that parrot if I go after him with a chainsaw." She snickered to herself at that thought. "Perhaps my pet monitor lizard could help." She glanced back in Silas' direction. "I bet a wakeup call to that face would send him packing! Ha ha ha!"  
  
Mr. Simmons: "Helga! Please pay attention."  
  
Helga turns around: (still to herself) "Yes, I'll need to think hard to top him."  
  
...Later in the cafeteria...  
  
Helga: (standing outside the door) "There he is. With Arnold and Gerald. What a dope. Thinks he can scare me does he? I'll show him!" She turned and looked in again. "Lila!" Lila passed by the three of them with a brief hello. Arnold smiled at her, like Helga wished he'd smile at her. That made her more angry. "Great! How am I suppose to stop Silas from telling the whole school, and Arnold, what I said, and keep Lila from liking liking Arnold? Hmmm... I've got it!"  
  
"Got what?"  
  
Helga turned quickly. "Phoebe! I, uhhh, I got it! Why don't we sit with those three today?" She laughed. "Ha ha... I've been meaning to get to know Silas a bit more anyway."  
  
Phoebe: "Oh that's nice. I'm glad to see you're not upset about yesterday. I mean, you two didn't exactly get off on the right foot..."  
  
Helga: "Oh that? Naaah... We're a lot alike! In many ways... Ah ha ha... Uhhhh." They both went into the cafeteria, got their lunches, and sat down with them. Helga sat next to Silas, across from Arnold.  
  
Arnold: "What are you two doing here?"  
  
Helga: "What's it to you football-head? It's a free country! So, Silas. Good game yesterday, huh? Bet your hand stings a bit! Ha ha ha!"  
  
Phoebe: "Nonetheless, that was incredible how you stood up to Harold like that. The proportions of your bodies combined with the speed at which he was travelling states that you had less than thirty percent chance of remaining standing. Perhaps with your feet four inches more apart you could've..."  
  
Helga: "Yeah, great Phoebe. Anyway, about yesterday. I know you don't have any hard feelings about it, huh? I mean, we both knew our places. You just happened to be in mine."  
  
Silas: "I'm as good a sport as the next. Especially since Gerald here is too chicken to accept a rematch!" He laughed.  
  
Gerald: "What? When did I say that? I'll take you on anyday!" He leaned forward. "Perhaps we can even test both your pitching skills. Arnold, you catch today. We'll see who can strike me out. Helga or Silas."  
  
Helga remained silent.  
  
Silas: "All right then."  
  
And so later that day, they all met at Gerald Field. Everyone gathered in their outfield places, Arnold sat at home plate, and Silas and Helga stood on the pitcher's mound.  
  
Arnold: "Farthest hit loses!"  
  
Gerald readies himself at the plate, with Arnold showing signs under his glove. Doi! Yeah, a fastball! Guh, who would've thought of that? Gerald missed it.  
  
Helga: "Pressure's on now, bucko! Two more and you should win!"  
  
Silas: "I've not yet even started." Of, course, he had just finished. The second pitch streaked in toward's Arnold's glove, but met a bat instead. Luckily, the outfield had hit the dirt as the ball streaked over their heads. Even Eugene managed to avoid the ball when Sheena pulled him down.  
  
Geraldo: "Line drive into the far far far far far outfield! Let's see whatcha got Helga."  
  
Curly returned with the ball a few minutes later, and by then the outfield had a barricade of dirt set up as they all peeked over to watch the action. Arnold fell backwards after Helga's first pitch, and dropped the ball the second.  
  
Arnold: "Please hit it Gerald. This glove is made way too thin!"  
  
Gerald: "Don't worry about it. Gotcha covered."  
  
Silas: (to Helga) "So Helga. Who's facing pressure now? Think you can do it? The whole outfield is counting on you! Come on!" He laughed.  
  
Helga: "Sheesh! What a moron! Huh, thinks he can make me nervous?" She looked at her hand. It might have been her imagination, but it was shaking a little bit. Perhaps that was because of what she would do after she won...  
  
Strike three.  
  
Arnold: "Ow." He ripped off his glove and started dancing across the field. Gerald smiled at him.  
  
Gerald: "I told you to stay away from the outfield! No action, no endurance!"  
  
Just then, Helga did something totally unexpected. Not much to her liking, she ran around the plate cheering for herself, and then hugged Silas. "I won I won I won! Ha ha ha!" He fell backward.  
  
Silas: "Jeez! Get a grip!" He pulled her off of him. "What's the matter with you?"  
  
Gerald came up to him. "Tough break, but I believe that's a treat with the Jolly Olly man?"  
  
Silas: (sighing) "Well, a deals a deal. Come on." He slumped off with Gerald.  
  
Helga fell down and buried her face in the dirt. Unable to believe what she had done, she sighed. For there was more to come.  
  
Arnold: "Helga? Are you alright?"  
  
Helga: (without looking up) "What makes you think anything's wrong?"  
  
Arnold: "Well, you normally don't dance around like you did when you win.  
  
Helga: "You should talk, football-head! Just 'cause you can't take a little fast pitching!" She stood up and brushed herself off. Her face was stained reddish brown though.  
  
Arnold: (pretend sighs) "I know I know. Us poor football-headed people. Such tender flesh. How would we ever survive behind the plate?" He laughed slightly, and ran off after Lila.  
  
Helga: (after everyone had left and the sun began to set) "Criminy! I'd better get on with this soon, or Lila will start to like him like him instead of just liking him! The more I try the worse it gets!" She sat down. "Step one complete. I'm sure he saw me with Silas. Ewww, gross!!!! I can't believe what I have to do!" She pulled out her locket. "Maybe with a little time, my love, you shalt be strucketh by the green-eyed monster I have foolishly allied myself with! Oh, forgive me Arnold. For in the end, we shall see just how foolish it can be..." 


	3. A date? You've gotta be kidding me!

Chapter 3: "A date? You've gotta be kidding me!"  
  
  
Silas: "Hi Nadine! We've never really talked that much."  
  
Nadine looked up from a box of dirt on her desk.  
  
Nadine: "No, not really."  
  
Silas: "Whacha doing there?"  
  
Nadine: "Oh, just watching my farm grow a bit."  
  
Silas looked over into the box. In it were a variety of plants and flowers, grasses, rocks, and several insects crawling about inside.  
  
Silas: "Cool! How long have you had it?"  
  
Nadine: "About a month. I've used several..." She stopped. "I know how you are. You're pretty chummy with everyone around here. But I know you're probably not interested in this."  
  
Silas: "Not even true! That's the attitude you take with Rhonda. I've seen you two together. She doesn't even care, but I think it's cool."  
  
Helga showed up then as the morning started. Not many kids had arrived yet, but Helga had some business to attend to, after shooing off Phoebe to attend to some menial task. She stood against the wall, watching Silas and Nadine.  
  
Silas: "...so I used to go with my dad a few years ago to the lake each day to feed the geese and watch the squirrels. They'd all crowd around me. Wow, I miss that. I haven't really gotten around to the park here yet. What kinda animals hang out there? I haven't seen much in this city yet..."  
  
Nadine: "Oh, I go there all the time! There's this grove swarming with butterflies that I like to visit, and there's chipmunks, and bluebirds. They're pretty friendly, and some will eat right out of your hand!"  
  
Helga listened to the conversation intently, planning when she was going to enter... She didn't like the way it was turning, if her plan was to work at all.  
  
Nadine: "The lake there's pretty neat anyway. Not by yourself..." She hesitated. "You wanna go there after school today? I could show you around..."  
  
Helga: (coming over quickly) "Hey Silas! Come on! You told me you'd meet me outside!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him away. She spoke loud enough for Nadine to hear her. "I'm really looking forward to our... DATE this afternoon! I'm ever so glad you asked me! We have so much in common anyway!" She pulled him out of the classroom and behind a group of unused lockers.  
  
Silas: "Hey! What gives? I never--"  
  
Helga: "Can it! I know you never asked me!" She sighed, and inwardly grimaced. "So, you wanna meet later today for some, uhhhh, ice cream? Not with that creepy Jolly Olly Man, but in that fancy schmancy parlor up the street?"  
  
Silas: (hesitating) "But you hate me! Why would you want to go anywhere with me? Besides you called me a moron!" He smiled. "Maybe I don't like you because of that."  
  
Helga: "Oh please! That was just game talk! Besides, we're a lot alike, you and I."  
  
Silas: "How?"  
  
Helga: "Criminy, what's with all the questions? Well, for starters, you were almost the only person to stand up to me like that! Like Patti or Rhonda..."  
  
Silas: "Well, I suppose that's true. But you're not as bad as you think you are, Helga."  
  
Helga: "Yeah, whatever. Just go with me! You can hang out with Nadine another time."  
  
Silas: (pausing a bit) "Sure, I guess so... Why not?"  
  
Helga: "Great! See you there!" She turned and walked off down the corridor without so much as a backward glance.  
  
Silas stood there for a moment, thinking about what just happened. Then the bell rang, and he dashed off to class. His normal seat was still behind Nadine, but she didn't turn around when he tried to talk to her again. Sighing, he gave up, and watched Mr. Simmons up front.  
  
  
  
"Dear Arnold, I have been watching you from afar, and would love to meet you face to face. I know all about you, and I really like you. I want to talk to you soon, and was wondering if you'd like to meet me at Pierre's Fancy Ice Cream Shoppe across from the shopping mart at four o'clock today. I know this means cancelling your plans for the day, but I feel that it's high time we meet. Looking for you...  
-YSA  
  
  
  
Gerald: "Man, Arnold you get way too much of this stuff! First Ruth, then Lila, and now someone you don't even know!"  
  
Arnold: "It's not me Gerald. This one's now stalking me!"  
  
Gerald: "Ah ah! Remember, she said that wasn't the case!" He thumped Arnold on the shoulder. "You're too judgemental. Hah, stalker... But, as a friend, I say leave it alone. I saw this once, where someone held a major grudge... They never saw him again after she was through..."  
  
Arnold: "Gerald. That was a movie. Funny how the title "Don't Follow Secret Admirers Because They Might Hold a Major Grudge Against You and Decide to Do Something Evil" fit perfectly with the story! I mean, he didn't even know what she did last summer!"  
  
Gerald: "Last time you tried something like this, you got nothing. Remember both Cheese Festivals?"  
  
Arnold: "School's out in twenty minutes. I can't stand her up." He sat back in her desk. "Who do you think it is?"  
  
Gerald: "Man, I don't wannna know. Why can't people just tell what they're thinking? That leaves less chance of someone chasing you down the street with a knife. Like this, watch!" He turned toward Phoebe. "Hi Phoebe! You look really nice today. Just thought I'd tell you."  
  
Phoebe: (blushing) "Thank you Gerald. Uh, you, uh... you too."  
  
Gerald: "See Arnold? There's nothing to it!"  
  
Arnold sat on the bottom step to PS 118 after school that day with Gerald, thinking about what he was going to do. He really liked Lila, but knew that she didn't return his affections. If there was someone who did have some sort of crush on him, he thought it would be best to see who they were. Then a thought came to his mind. Maybe it WAS Lila! Maybe after all this time, she finally started liking him liking him, instead of just liking him! It was worth a shot.   
  
Arnold: "I'll be back soon anyway. See ya Gerald."  
  
Gerald: "Sure man. Good luck." They gave their special handshake, and left. Gerald heading home, and Arnold walking toward the parlor. 


	4. What? Campfire Lass?

Chapter 4: "What? Campfire Lass?"  
  
  
  
Silas: "That was fun anyway. I just thought, what the heck! They're really nice anyway, and I like their accent. The haggis didn't smell too good though. Good thing I'm a vegetarian."  
  
Helga: "Wow, you've got guts! Did you ever get beaten up for joining the Campfire Lass? No fifth graders put you in the trash?"  
  
Silas: (shrugs) "A couple of times. But I got some help by a few kilted friends. Those Chocolate Turtles are good for throwing..."  
  
They had ordered double-fudge ice-creams at Helga's treat. Helga had managed to change into a nice dress before she came, surprising Silas, who came in his regular school clothes. No one else had come to the parlor yet, so with the exception to the clerk, they were alone...  
Until Arnold came in at least. He had spent a minute outside the door, watching for anyone else in the shoppe, until he had spotted Helga. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't seen Silas until he came in. Naturally, he dismissed the entire possibility of Helga being his secret admirer. He was about to leave, but Helga called to him.  
  
Helga: "Hey Arnold!" He turned around.  
  
Arnold: "Oh. Hi Helga. Wow, you look... uh, different."  
  
Helga: "Well, thank you! What are you doing here?"  
  
Arnold: "It's nothing. I just thought someone would be here. Don't let me bother you."  
  
Silas: "Wait, that's..."  
  
Helga: "Ok. We won't." She went back to her seat as Arnold sighed and walked out of the parlor. Inwardly she smiled as she saw him look back at the two of them, then head home.  
  
Silas was staring out the door, and then his eyes moved to Helga.  
  
Silas: (after a moment) "Oh, great. Give me a break! Why me?"  
  
Helga: "What? What are you talking about?"  
  
Silas: "Please! I know what you're doing! Why did you choose me to make him jealous?"  
  
Helga: "Silas, you couldn't be farther from the truth. Deep down, I truly feel myself drawn toward... Oh forget it! You're right anyway. But it seems to be working."  
  
Silas: "I won't have any more part in this! I could've been at the park with Nadine having fun! But I had to fall for your stupid schemes! Why did you choose me anyway?"  
  
Helga: "Don't be rediculous! Who better that you? You seem pretty, uh, unique! Besides, everyone knows I'd sooner throw up than go on a date with any of those others! I know them too well."  
  
Silas: "This wasn't a real date! I thought you'd be nicer to Arnold after what I heard you say."  
  
Helga: "I'm doing him a favor! Anything's better than him getting Lila to fall for him!"  
  
Silas stood suddenly: "Lila! Oh, that's perfect!" He grinned at Helga. "I think it's about time your little secret came out, Miss Pataki!"  
  
Helga: "No! You promised!"  
  
Silas: "No I didn't! Just because I didn't tell then doesn't mean I never would!"  
  
Helga: "You can't! If he finds out after all this time..."  
  
Silas: "What's the worst that can happen? If he really cared, he'd stop chasing Lila, wouldn't he?"  
  
Helga: "It's none of your business anyway, Silas! Stay out of it!"  
  
Silas thought about it for a moment, until he saw the look in Helga's eyes.  
  
Silas: "All right. It is none of my business. But I'll tell you one thing. I'm not ever getting involved again. And make no mistake, because I will tell him if you try this again." He walked out of the parlor.  
  
Helga wiped her brow.  
  
Helga: "Whoa, that was close!" She finished her ice cream and left the shoppe. "Great Helga! You have to give yourself away! What was I thinking? Who would have thought he'd be smart enough to see it?" She thought a moment. "He's too dangerous. If he blabs about me, then..." She stopped. "Then what?" Thinking... "Arnold will finally know the love that so torments me night and day! Time and again, I torture him without remorse, and for what? My love burns deeper that ever, and yet I cannot bring myself to tell him! Oh, cursed love! Why couldn't you simply direct me on the straight path? Why must every scheme I plot to win over my one love end in misery?"  
She began thinking of all that she had done as she walked home that afternoon... Her plans at the cheese faires, both meant to rid Arnold of his crush, and yet strengthening it... Her incident on the alley wall, bringing Arnold and Lila together... That brought her thinking about how his feelings for her had changed, once she had shown herself to be as "sofisticated" as Lila could be at the French Restaurant... Arnold knew then that she could have a caring side after all...  
  
When she got home, the car was started in the driveway and loaded up with a whole gaggle of things.  
  
Helga: "What's going on?  
  
Miriam: "Helga! Oh, I'm so glad to see you! You're going to be alone with your father for a while. I'm taking two weeks' trip to Hawaii! Isn't that terrific?  
  
Helga: "Mom, when did you think of this?"  
  
Miriam: "Oh, just a few days ago." She held out a few brochures. "See, it's a spa in Honolulu designed to rejeuvanate body and spirit! And I KNOW I've needed it!"  
  
Helga: (pauses) "Mom, you seem fine now! Better than you've been in a long time! Why do you need to leave?"  
  
Miriam: "Oh, this is just the start! When I get back, you'll have a whole new mom, and things will be different around here! My plane leaves midnight tonight! Sorry about such short notice, but I'm sure you two can handle it." She gathered up her things when Big Bob started honking the horn.  
  
Big Bob: "Come on Miriam! I don't have all night!"  
  
Miriam: "Ta, dear! Oh that sounds so much better! Take care!" She gathered up a few extra things, including a curious pink object, and started toward the door. "Oh, by the way, just for the week, I decided to clean up this place. Your room looks brand new! Good thing too. Did you know there was an old football in your closet with rotting fruit stuck all over it! Well, gotta go! Kiss kiss!" She closed the door quickly.  
  
Helga: "My room? WHAT?" She dashed up the stairs. "Noooooo!!!!!"  
  
Everything had changed. Not just the furniture was rearranged, but all her things were different. Including her closet. Her Arnold Shrine was gone!  
  
Helga: "Criminy! How many times have I told them to leave my room alone?" She thought a moment. "Well, that thing was getting old anyway. My new one will be so much better!"  
  
She smiled until she opened her nightstand drawer. "No!" Probably because of the mess she had always left there, it was now sickeningly tidy, with one major missing item.  
  
Helga: "My pink book! Where is it?"  
  
She practially tore her room apart for the next hour looking for it. Big Bob eventually returned home, and came up the stairs to see the mess she had made.  
  
Big Bob: "Olga! Your mother spent.... Ah forget it. Just clean this place up!" He walked off grumbling. "Goes off for two weeks with no notice... That's perfect..."  
  
Helga: "Dad, it's Helga! And what was all that stuff you took away today?"  
  
Bob: "Just some garbage your mother gathered up. Dropped it off at the dump before I came home. You're on your own for dinner. By the way, I met one of your little friends there before I came home. He said he wanted to see you."  
  
Helga: "Who?"  
  
Bob: "I think he said his name was Silas." He went into his room and closed the door.  
  
Helga: "Silas! What does he want?" She thought a moment... "They must've taken it to the dump with everything else! If Silas was there when they dropped it off, then he must have it!" She dashed down the stairs.  
  
The dump was only about a mile from her house, and it didn't take her long to get there. A huge valley stood in front of her, filled with hills of trash of all kinds. Apparantly, people hadn't yet discovered the concept of burying their trash, instead of just leaving it lying about.  
A road led into the dump through the main gate. Helga walked along the embankment of trees until she reached it, and followed it to the toll booth. There was no one inside, so she just walked past.  
  
Helga: "Criminy! This place is big! It'll take me forever to find it." Maybe, she decided, it would be best just to look for Silas.  
  
An hour later she spotted him, sitting atop a heap of paper. Before she was seen, she ducked behind a hill of garbage. Peeking over, she saw him flipping through a small book. When he turned the pages, she noticed that it's cover was pink!  
  
Helga: "That's my book! Why does he have to be so nosy? And why did he want me here anyway? Just to gloat?" She continued to watch him, grinding her teeth everytime he read a funny passage and laughed. But what could she do? He now knew things that no one else could know! It was only a matter of time before he told everyone! Quietly, she climbed to the top of the hill, looking down on him. Leaping out, she fell towards him, and neatly snatched the book away.  
  
Helga: "I'll take that!"  
  
Silas was still laughing. Helga began to thumb through the book.  
  
Helga: "What's so funny?"  
  
Silas: "Just some of that poetry! It can get pretty silly there!"  
  
Helga: "Hmph. Who asked you anyway?" She turned around.  
  
Silas: "Wait! I, uh... I thought most of it was pretty good. There's just one thing I don't understand..."  
  
Helga: "Yeah! I know what that is! Do me a favor. If I never talk to you again, then will you stay out of my life?"  
  
Silas was silent for a moment.  
  
Silas: "Listen Helga. I didn't mean for you to get upset. I just though I should put you in your place. It never hurts to be nice to people once in a while."  
  
Helga: "You sound just like Arnold!"  
  
Silas: (smiling) "Isn't that why you love him?"  
  
Helga: "Listen! This has nothing to do with that! This is about you! This wouldn't have ever happened if you hadn't been evesdropping on me in the first place! If I hadn't said anything, you would have gone and told everyone!"  
  
Silas: "What makes you think that? You know how embarrassing that would have been? Hey everyone! Look! I found a book with lots of love poems in it! Hey, didja know that Helga is in love with Arnold? I know what would have happened. You would have probably cried when everyone laughed at you, and then someone like Phoebe or Arnold would get mad at me for telling and embarrassing you. Guh! I know how these things work."  
  
Helga: "Then why did you come here?"  
  
Silas: "I wanted to know your reasons. Apparantly, it goes far back. I just wanted to know why you treat him like you do..."  
  
Helga: (waits a moment) "I don't know! I just do!" The she stopped. "Why am I telling you this? It's none of your business. This is between me and Arnold!"  
  
Silas: "Fine. But let me tell you, I've seen it all. This only ends in unhappiness. Arnold likes Lila. Not just likes her, but likes her likes her. And if she starts liking liking him back, then it's all over for you. I've seen the way he looks at you. It may not be love, but I'm sure he has a special place in his heart for a friend like you."  
  
Helga thought a moment, then she sat down.  
  
Helga: "You think so? After all the torment I've given him?"  
  
Silas nodded: "The choice is up to you." He held out his hand. "Come on. Let's get outta here."  
  
He pulled her up, and they walked away from the dump, Helga thinking all about what Silas had told her, and secretly cheering that she had gotten her book back. 


	5. It seemed like it would work!

Chapter 5: "It seemed like it would work!!!"  
  
  
  
They arrived at Silas' house first as darkness started falling. He stopped at the stoop, and opened the door.  
  
Silas: "Well, this is my house. I guess I'll see ya 'round."  
  
Helga: "Sure." She looked down at the pink book in her hands. "Hey Silas."  
  
Silas: "Yeah?"  
  
Helga: "Thanks."  
  
He winked at her, and went inside. Helga started walking toward her house, thinking about what she would do the next day...  
  
  
The next day...  
  
Silas hadn't been seen at school yet. Helga took her seat across from Phoebe, quiet as she watched Arnold and Gerald take their seats. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary this day, and she sighed. Perhaps she could go about it normally, with no thoughts as to what had happened. Phoebe turned to her.  
  
Phoebe: "Helga? Are you feeling all right?"  
  
Helga: "Huh? Oh yeah sure. I'm just thinking..." Her best friend smiled.  
  
Phoebe: "About yesterday?"  
  
Helga: "What? What are you talking about?"  
  
Phoebe: "Don't you know? The whole school is talking about it! How'd your date go yesterday?"  
  
Helga: (breathes a sigh of relief) "Oh that! It wasn't really a date. We just had a little ice cream, that's all. And why is everyone talking about it?"  
  
Phoebe: "What a romance, is all. Helga Pataki is swept off her feet by the school charmer! No one would have thought."  
  
Helga: "WHAT! Who's saying that? I'll show 'em!"  
  
Phoebe: "No need to get angry Helga. It's just the usual gossip going about. I'm sure it's nothing if you say it isn't."  
  
  
Gerald: "So Arnold? How'd it go?"  
  
Arnold: "Not well. She never showed up. I must have been stupid to fall for that anyway."  
  
Gerald: "Nah. Forget about it, Arnold. I'm sure there must've been a reason..."  
  
Arnold: "It must have been a joke! I waited outside for twenty minutes. No one went in or out except for Silas and Helga."  
  
Helga's eyes went up when she heard her name, and she looked at Arnold. She was about to dispense her usual evil look toward him, but thought better of it, and simply smiled in a friendly manner and turned back toward Phoebe.  
  
Gerald: "Silas? And Helga?! Man, I thought they hated each other!"  
  
Arnold: "They were just sitting there having ice cream together. I guess they're friends now..."  
  
  
Helga and Arnold bumped into each other again in the hallway. Yet again, they fell to the floor, and Helga jumped up first.  
  
Helga: "Arnold!"  
  
Arnold: "Oh, sorry Helga. I guess I wasn't watching where I was going..."  
  
Helga: "Yeah! Well, just..." She stopped. "That's all right, Arnold. It's my fault..." She brushed herself off, and walked away. Arnold looked after her, wondering why she didn't call him a yellow-haired shrimp, or football head, or something like that. Oh well. He continued down the hall toward his locker.  
  
Silas: "Hey Arnold!"  
  
Arnold: (turns around) "Oh. Hey Silas."  
  
Silas: "Whatsamatter? You sound so upset."  
  
Arnold: "Nothing I guess. I'm just so confused."  
  
Silas: "About what?"  
  
Arnold: "It's nothing, really." Silas stopped him.  
  
Silas: "Wait! I think I know. You were expecting Helga in that parlor by herself, huh?"  
  
Arnold: "What? No! I was just surprised to see her with you. I thought you two didn't get along too well."  
  
Silas: "Um... Well... Who were you expecting, then? I thought she had asked you there..."  
  
Arnold: "Not exactly." They started walking toward the cafeteria, and Arnold took out his letter. "Someone left me this yesterday. I was hoping it would have been Lila, but I guess I was just disappointed when I saw Helga instead."  
  
Silas: "So, it's not because of... me?"  
  
Arnold: "Why should I care? I know what you're getting at. You think I'm upset because you and Helga are, well, friends?" Silence. "Actually, for about half a second there, I had thought it was Helga who wrote it when I saw her. Then I thought back on how much she hates me, and it slipped away." He smiled.  
  
Silas: "Us? Friends?" He broke out into hysterical laughter. "She can't stand me!" He paused there for a moment. "I, uh, I invited her to, uh, be my partner... Yeah, um, you know for that project Mr. Simmons assigned? Heh heh... Uh, you really don't think it could have been her who wrote it?"  
  
Arnold: "I'm positive. It was probably some prank some of the others were playing on me... Oh well."  
  
Silas: "So you have something for Lila?"  
  
Arnold: "Well, a little. I really started liking her about a month ago. But she never liked me back."  
  
Silas: "Oh, imagine that." As though he didn't know. "Well, you know what they say... Well, they don't actually say it, but it does sound cool. Hey Lila!" He turned toward Arnold as Lila approached. "I guess I should be leaving now..." He turned toward Helga's table after getting his lunch.  
  
Arnold: "Wait! What were you going to say?"  
  
Silas: "Oh, that. I'll tell you later."  
  
Helga: "What do you want?" Silas sat down next to Phoebe.   
  
Silas: "It's a free country! I can sit where I want!" He nudged Phoebe. "Look at them, Phoebe. Wouldn't they make a cute couple?" He looked at Arnold talking to Lila. "Or maybe it's just because Gerald's not here yet..."  
  
Phoebe: "Oh? I hadn't noticed."  
  
Silas: "Which part?"  
  
Phoebe: "Oh, um, the first I mean."  
  
Silas: "Helga! I thought I saw someone putting a nasty letter into your locker as I passed. Why don't YOU go check it out?"  
  
Helga: "WHAT? I'll show him! Mess with my locker, will he?" She got up and dashed out of the cafeteria.   
  
Silas: (smiling) "I'll be back soon." He left his lunch and went after her.  
  
They both arrived at Helga's locker. There was nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
Helga: "You set this up, didn't you? I thought I told you to butt out of my life!"  
  
Silas: "I had to. We need to talk."  
  
Helga: "There's nothing to talk about! You know what's happening, and you're helping him get Lila to like him!"  
  
Silas: "Oh that... I didn't do anything. I was just trying to make conversation. As for yesterday, I want you to forget what I said. You need to continue to torture Arnold like always."  
  
Helga: "What?"  
  
Silas: "That's it. I've got a plan." He started back to the cafeteria. "See ya!"  
  
Helga: "Criminy! What have I got to do to get him to go away? What's this stupid plan of his anyway?"  
  
Gerald: "Ah ha! What does Silas have against Arnold? He plays all nice all the time! What's with him?"  
  
Helga: "Gerald! How much did you hear?"  
  
Gerald: "I heard enough! He's trying to get at Arnold for something! Why else would he tell you to do that?"  
  
Helga: "Nevermind! He, uh, he just thought I was getting a little soft, that's all. No move it, hair-boy! I got a lunch getting cold!" She shoved past him and headed back to her food.  
  
She entered and saw Silas chatting with Arnold again across from her and Phoebe's table. Sitting down with her friend, she ate and tried to listen to what they were saying.  
  
Silas: "So Arnold. I was thinking. What if you just started getting her back?"  
  
Arnold: "What would that do? All she'd do it get mad, and do worse things to me."  
  
Silas: "Trust me! This'll work! Just like I did, if she starts seeing that you'll stand up to her, she'll finally respect you."  
  
Arnold: "I don't know about that." Silas ignored him, however, and threw his apple core at Helga's head. She turned around suddenly. Silas pointed to Arnold.  
  
Helga: "What was that for, football-head?"  
  
Arnold started to answer, but was elbowed in the ribs.  
  
Arnold: "It wasn't... oof! I mean, uh, yeah! I did that! That was for knocking me down in the hallway!"  
  
Helga: "Oh yeah? We'll see about that!" She moved to the other side of the table. "Phoebe, take a note. Oh, yeah this'll be good."  
  
Phoebe: "I don't know, Helga..." She piped down with an angry look from Helga. "Writing..."  
  
Arnold looked at Silas.  
  
Silas: "Trust me." He winked, and went to intercept Gerald as he entered the lunchroom.  
  
  
After lunch, Arnold felt the first effects of Helga's retaliation to Silas' apple. Everytime Mr. Simmons turned to write on the board, a spitwad struck him the back of the head. He tried to ignore it at first, but Silas saw it, and looked at him as though to urge him to hit her back. It would look too conspicuous for Arnold to turn around and throw them back at her, so he tried something else. A light snap was heard as he broke the lead to his pencil.  
  
Mr. Simmons: "And that's why Geometry goes back so far into the past, class."  
  
When Mr. Simmons turned back to the board to continue his lesson, Arnold got up to head to the pencil sharpener. It was two seats behind Helga, and he slowly turned the handle until Mr. Simmons again turned around. Then, he pulled out his straw, and blew a spitwad right into the back of her neck. She turned around angrily, but he looked up into the ceiling like nothing had happened.  
  
Helga: "I'll show him!" She readied another spitwad for when he sat down, but when she felt another cold one hit her again, she turned quickly and threw one back without noticing that Mr. Simmons had turned around again.  
  
Mr. Simmons: "Helga!"  
  
She turned back to the front quickly and smiled, but he was looking sternly at her.  
  
Mr. Simmons: "I'm afraid that'll be detention after school today, Miss Pataki." He wrote her up, and dropped the slip on her desk. She ground her teeth together in anger when she heard Silas chuckle from his seat, and saw Arnold smile at her as he went back to his seat.  
  
  
Silas: "That was good, Arnold." They were walking down the hall toward the entrance to PS 118 after school that day.  
  
Gerald: "Yeah, Arnold. I think you're finally learning something."  
  
Arnold: "I don't know. She seemed really mad."  
  
Silas: "She'll get over it."  
  
Helga: "That's right! I'll get over it!" She appeared next to the door as they exited it and dropped an enormous water balloon on Arnold's head, drenching him. He simply continued walking.  
  
Arnold: "Thanks Helga."  
  
Helga: "Anytime, you little yellow-haired shrimp! If you even think of trying something like that again, you'll regret it!" She laughed at him as he brushed back his hair, and walked back into the school for her detention.  
  
Silas: "We'll get her back."  
  
Arnold: "Silas, I really don't think it's such a good idea to taunt her like this. She'll probably start doing worse things than this."  
  
Silas: "So what! You have a shower at home, don't you? She can't do anything a little water won't cure."  
  
Arnold: "That's not the point. It was different when it was simple little pranks she was pulling. This could get out of hand."  
  
Silas: "Arnold, I'm telling you, she won't respect you unless you fight her back."  
  
Arnold: "Forget it. If she is going to be mean to everyone, then maybe she doesn't want their respect."  
  
Silas bit his lip to keep from responding to that. If he accidentally spilled Helga's secret, then he be in serious trouble from her.  
  
Gerald: "Man, I think I could live with it! If a water balloon is what I'll get for the chance to see her face after something like that, it'll be worth it."  
  
Silas: "Well Arnold. If you don't want to, then that's your choice." He turned back toward the school.  
  
Arnold: "Where're you going?"  
  
Silas: "To tell her that it was me who told you to do it. And that it was me who threw the apple at her." He walked back in.  
  
Gerald: "Arnold, I think he's setting you up for something."  
  
Arnold: "What?"  
  
Gerald: "I heard him telling Helga in the hallway that she should torture you more than she was before."  
  
Arnold: "He said that? Why would he do such a thing?"  
  
Gerald: "I don't know. I asked Helga about it, but she made up some lame excuse about getting too soft on you, or something. I'd watch out if I were you."  
  
Arnold: "I'm sure it's nothing." Gerald turned around. "Now where are you going?"  
  
Gerald: "Stay out here. I'm gonna go see what he's up to."  
  
Arnold: "Gerald. I don't think it's necessary to spy on him."  
  
Gerald: "Hey, leave this to me." He went back in after him. Arnold sighed, and waited behind the steps.  
  
Silas: "Gerald! What are you doing here?" Gerald had walked up to Silas as he was doing something at Helga's locker. Silas had quickly turned around as Gerald walked up to him.  
  
Gerald: "I could ask you the same question. I thought you were going to tell Helga that it wasn't Arnold? The detention room is that way." He pointed back down the hall.  
  
Silas: "Yes, well... I was, uh... I couldn't get to her. Principal Warts was in there, and he said I couldn't talk to her.... So I decided to leave her a note, and go home. Gotta go!" He started back toward the entrance.  
  
Gerald: "Wait a minute! I know what you're up to."  
  
Silas: "Huh?"  
  
Gerald: "I heard you and Helga talking. Why did you tell her to keep being mean to Arnold?"  
  
Silas: "Me? Why would I do that? I think you got the wrong guy, Gerald."  
  
Gerald: "I don't think so. Now tell what you're planning for him."  
  
Silas: "Nothing! I don't have anything to do with Helga or Arnold! All I did was meet her yesterday for an ice cream! That's it!"  
  
Gerald: "You and Helga? I thought you two hated each other!"  
  
Silas: "We do. I just wanted to know how, uh... That is... Mr. Simmons paired us and Phoebe together for that project, since I was the odd numbered kid in the class... Yeah, now I remember. Ha ha ha..."  
  
Gerald: "What does this have to do with Arnold? Why would you want him and Helga against each other even more?"  
  
Silas: "I'm trying to help them both! Once Helga realizes that Arnold isn't going to take her pranks anymore, they'll get along, right? It worked for me, remember at the field?"  
  
Gerald: "You have a point..."  
  
Silas: "Yeah, see? Now, I've got something to do now, so I'll be seeing you." He ran off down the hall, passing Arnold on the steps.  
  
Gerald: "Well, I didn't get anything more that we already knew, Arnold."  
  
Arnold: "That's okay Gerald. Like I said, I'm sure it's nothing." 


	6. Double dates!

Chapter 6: "Double dates!"  
  
  
  
Helga: "Would you make up your mind? How about I put it this way. I don't want your help! I don't need your help! I'd sooner die than accept any help from you!"  
  
Silas: "Calm down! I know you're exaggerating there a bit, because you'll be thankful in the end. My plan didn't seem to work. Your secret love is a wimp, so I want you to go on with what you were doing before I told you to be mean again."  
  
Silas had called her on the phone that night to tell her what went wrong.  
  
Helga: "If you keep this up, they'll all know for sure! You will screw up, I'm sure of it!"  
  
Silas: "Oh please! Your schemes have all failed, and only a handful of people know about it, and then even they don't know much."  
  
Helga: "What? How do you know what I've done before?"  
  
Silas: "That book of yours has everything in it. From the time you plotted against Rhonda, Sheena, Lila, and Phoebe so you could play Juliette and kiss Arnold, to the very reason that Arnold started liking Lila because you put up that message on the wall."  
  
Helga: "I had no idea you knew so much... So it's your fault I got detention! I oughtta--!"  
  
Silas: "Hey! We've all had our bad days. Get over it. Call that payback for making Nadine think I was some sweet-talking freak that day. Now she avoids me wherever I go."  
  
Helga: "Oh please. Bug girl? What would you see in her?"  
  
Silas: "Nevermind that. As long as we're even, I'll just sit back and watch... A little..." Then he hung up.  
  
Helga: "This is getting a little interesting..." She had come to the realization that nothing bad could come from his intervention. The worst that could happen would be Arnold finding out about her love for him. She began to think, since her talk with Silas at the dump, that it might be time for it after all.  
  
  
The next day...  
  
Helga: "Hey Arnold."  
  
Arnold jumped away suddenly, when Helga came around the corner toward Mr. Simmon's class, keeping his distance.  
  
Arnold: "Oh, hi Helga." She looked at him.  
  
Helga: "What's wrong with you?"  
  
Arnold: "Oh, well, I just thought you'd be mad about yesterday, and all... I guess not?"  
  
Helga: "Nah. I got you back, football head. Forget about it."  
  
Arnold: "But..."  
  
Helga: "I said, forget about it!!! Criminy!" She went on to class, and Arnold waited for Gerald.  
  
Silas passed Arnold in the hall, but didn't say anything as he went into class. He took his normal seat, and pulled out his stuff without a word. Helga had half expected him to say something to her about last night, but he didn't so much as look at her. She sighed. Perhaps he was going to let her do things her way.  
  
Silas: "Hey Nadine!" The bell hadn't yet rung, and she turned around to him. "I know what you were thinking of me the past few days."  
  
Nadine: "No, that doesn't really matter. After I saw what was happening between you and Arnold, I know that you're just trying to help."  
  
Silas: "You know about that? But how?"  
  
Nadine: "Oh, everyone knows about it, but it's old news. I saw how you walked out of the parlor, and I assumed that Helga had just done something to get back at you for the baseball game."  
  
Silas: "Oh! That! Ha ha... Well, she and I both learned something from that. So... Um, you wanna still go show me around your park sometime?"  
  
Nadine: "Oh sure, I'd like that."  
  
Mr. Simmons: "Okay class, settle down."  
  
Silas: "Great."  
  
  
After school that day, Silas and Nadine met outside the school and walked to the park. Helga watched as they left, thankful that he didn't stick around to talk to her. She pulled Phoebe to her.  
  
Helga: "Phoebe, go and distract Gerald for a minute. I have something to talk to Arnold about yesterday."  
  
Phoebe: "I don't understand..."  
  
Helga: "I didn't ask you to! Just do it!" Phoebe went over to them.  
  
Phoebe: "Arnold, Helga wishes to speak with you."  
  
Gerald: "That's okay Arnold. Phoebe, can I walk you home?"  
  
Phoebe: "Sure, Gerald." They both walked away as Arnold went up to Helga.  
  
Arnold: "What did you want to talk to me about?"  
  
Helga: (drops her stuff on the sidewalk) "Arnold, I wanted to............................................ uh... apologize for that water balloon thing yesterday. I was wrong earlier to say just cause I got you back."  
  
Arnold: "Oh. Well..... that's okay. I suppose Silas told you what had happened?"  
  
Helga: "About what?"  
  
Arnold: "You know it was him who threw that apple at you yesterday?"  
  
Helga: "Oh. Well, not exactly. But Gerald told me how Silas talked you into getting even with me. Ha ha ha..."  
  
Arnold: "........................"  
  
Helga: "Well, I probably deserved it anyway, after everything I've done to you. I just wanted to say that............................................................."  
  
Arnold: "You're sorry?"  
  
Helga: "............................. Yeah! That's it. Whew, that wasn't so bad. Ha ha ha."  
  
Arnold: "Sure Helga."  
  
Helga: "Okay........"  
  
Arnold: (starts turning around) "Well, I'll see ya around, then?"  
  
Helga: "Sure, I guess so." Arnold starts to walk away. "Arnold, wait!"  
  
Arnold: "What?"  
  
Helga: "I got nothing planned today... Uh, that is, I mean... Would you like to, um, stop by the park for awhile? I'll get us an ice cream."  
  
Before he could answer, the rest of the kids came out of the school. Arnold turned to see Stinky, Sid, and Harold come up to him.  
  
Sid: "Hey Arnold! They're handing out placings at this month's carnival! I'm going to go for the Dunking tank!"  
  
Harold: "I bet I could be one of those guys who throws stuff at those clowns! Pies, bowling balls! Oh man, that'll be cool!"  
  
Stinky: "Arnold, you wanna come with us? No one else gets there for another hour."  
  
Helga didn't want to ruin anything, so she turned around and was about to walk away. Arnold must have seen her, though.  
  
Arnold: "Well.... No, that's okay. I've sorta got something else planned."  
  
Stinky: "You're loss. Come on guys. I heard they made that Tilt-O-Puke even faster than last year!"  
  
The girls had already gone by then, and the three of them headed towards the setup talking of all the new stuff there.  
  
Arnold: "Sure Helga. That would be great."  
  
  
  
(Note by the author here--- They changed the wrong person's voice. Gerald's was fine, but Arnold needs a new one! Thank you.)  
  
  
  
The usual happenings were going on in the park that day, kids playing football and soccer on the large fields, Silas and Nadine walking along the lakeside. Of course, since it was still a weekday, all there were were kids off from school. Several of them had watered down one of the ungrassed areas, making it a huge mud pit. The football players had migrated toward that field instead.  
  
Silas: "Wow! This is ten times better than what I was used to!"  
  
Nadine: "Where did you come from?"  
  
Silas: "Same kind of city, but this one had nothing in it at all. Hardly even any trees! The park was about half the size of this, with only a tiny pond in the middle. My dad moved around a lot, so he never had time to check out good spots for apartments..." He looked over and saw Helga and Arnold walking by the mud field.  
  
Nadine: "Look at that! She's actually standing near him and not pushing him down, or yelling at him."  
  
Silas: (smiles) "Yeah. Who would have thought?"  
  
Nadine: "I usually come here by myself. Rhonda never wants to do what I like, anyway. It's nice to finally know someone who doesn't think it wierd or anything."  
  
Silas: "Hey, we all like what we like." He grinned. "You know what I'd like right now?" He looked over at Helga and Arnold.  
  
Nadine: "What?"  
  
Silas sat down and took his shoes off.  
  
Silas: "Shhhhh. We have to be quiet, or they'll hear us." He then stood up, and charged toward them both. Silent as he ran through the soft grass, they didn't hear him approach.  
  
Arnold: "Now this is a good side of you Helga. I told you, didn't I? There was a nice, sensitive person inside all along."  
  
Helga: "Yeah, whatever." She chose not to respond to that. They were walking along an embankment about ten feet from the mud pit, watching the kids playing.  
  
Silas: "Coming through!!!!" He spread his arms and plowed them both around the waist. They all fell to the grass, and rolled quickly into the mud. Nadine ran up to the edge, laughing at them all covered in mud.  
  
Helga: (standing quickly, her face covered) "What are you doing???!!! Are you crazy?"  
  
Silas: "Oh, that was fun! Don't worry Arnold. Like I said, nothing a little water won't wash off."  
  
Helga: "I'll give you something to wash off!" She jumped over and tackled Silas into the mud. "Push me over? I'll show you!" She pushed his face once more into the mud.  
  
Arnold: "Wow, Helga. That was cool!"  
  
Helga stood up, and wiped off her face.  
  
Helga: "Arnold?" He threw a great glob at her, and she fell back into the mud.  
  
Arnold: "Ha ha ha!!!"  
  
Helga: (stands again) "Listen, you little football-head! Don't...!"  
  
Arnold's smile slowly began to disappear, and Silas nudged her in the side.  
  
Helga: "I mean, uh..." She grabbed a handful of mud. "I mean take this!" She chucked in right at his head. "Ha ha ha!" Then she saw Nadine chuckling on the embankment, and grabbed a handful of mud. "What are you laughing at?" Nadine ran away, but not before getting glopped.  
  
Silas and Arnold stood up and walked out of the mud pit while Helga chased Nadine around the park.  
  
Silas: "So Arnold, I guess you decided to take my advice? She seems to have stopped tormenting you..."  
  
Arnold: "I can't really explain it. I didn't really do anything else to her. She just asked me here. Did you say anything to her?"  
  
Silas: "Me? She wouldn't have listened to me if I tried."  
  
Arnold: "Really? Gerald told me that he saw you putting something in her locker yesterday."  
  
Silas: "He did? Well, I may have helped a little."  
  
Arnold: "This isn't going to turn around on me, is it? I know this can't be a joke, right?"  
  
Silas: "Arnold, listen to me. Why would I play a joke on you? I just thought Helga could stand to be a little nicer to you."  
  
Arnold: "What made her think she should?"  
  
Silas: "Well........ I can't really tell. Really."  
  
Just then Helga and Nadine came back, Nadine walking far behind her and running the mud out of her hair.  
  
Nadine: "Maybe that wasn't such a good idea, Silas."  
  
Silas: "Oh well."  
  
Arnold: "Hey, I think I hear the Jolly Olly Man coming down! Come on." They all walked toward the bridge in the park as the truck passed by.  
  
Jolly Olly Man: (grumbling) "Yeah, what'll it be?"  
  
Helga: "I'll have two double fudge and peanut-butter cones."  
  
Arnold: "Two?"  
  
Helga: "I said I'd buy you one. Doi!"  
  
Arnold: "Oh, sorry."  
  
They stood over the river watching the ducks as they ate. Afterwards, Nadine took Helga by the arm.  
  
Nadine: "Um, I just forgot, there's something we have to do now... We'll, uh, see you tomorrow at school."  
  
Helga: "What? No we..."  
  
Nadine: "Ha ha ha! Come on! No use putting our responsibility off till the last minute, Helga!" She dragged her off.  
  
Arnold: "So..."  
  
Silas: "What?"  
  
Arnold: "About what we were talking about earlier..."  
  
Silas: "What? Oh that! I meant what I said. I really can't tell you because... uh... I don't really know..."  
  
Arnold: "But I've seen you hanging around with her practically as much as Phoebe."  
  
Silas: "Come on, Arnold! Can't you trust me a little? Has anything bad happened yet? It's been a week since I got here. I think you're too paranoid."  
  
Arnold: "When it comes to Helga, you can never be too careful."  
  
Silas: "Yeah, she's gone in and out of these things a few times... That is... I heard that she did... Huh."  
  
Arnold: "Right... Anyways, I really should be going. You know, I got... stuff to take care of. See you around."  
  
Silas: "Sure. Bye Arnold." Arnold walked off as the sky started darkening. The sky was partly clouded, and the full moon shone right into the park. Silas continued to stare into the river, watching the few remaining ducks swimming off downstream.  
  
Silas: "Man, Helga. You were right. I'd better be careful if I'm to keep this a secret. I guess I shouldn't have read that book. I keep saying too much. Why do you have to hide your love for Arnold so tightly? Why did I even get involved? Oh well. I suppose at this rate it will only be a matter of time before you tell him everything. And then I'm off the hook." He chuckled to himself, then turned when he heard a rustling of bushes on his side of the river.  
  
Curly: "Ha ha ha! Oh man! That's great! Wait 'till I tell everyone about this! Helga's in love with Arnold! Helga's in love with Arnold!"  
  
Silas: "Hey! Curly, you didn't hear what I said! I never said anything about Arnold!"  
  
Curly: "Yeah! That's just 'cos you're keeping it a secret!"  
  
Silas: "What? Curly, I'm warning you. Don't go doing anything anyone, especially yourself, will regret! What do you think Helga would do to you if you started spreading rumors about her?"  
  
Curly: (pauses) "Gee, I never thought about that."  
  
Silas: "Yeah! I didn't think so. You wouldn't be back in school for a month after she finished with you. Besides, no one would ever believe you anyway."  
  
Curly: "Well, it doesn't matter, anyway. We'll just see what they believe!" He ran off out of the park.  
  
Silas: (shaking his head) "Great. Now I'm in for it."  
  
Voices: (behind him) "Yeah! This is our place now, and you picked a bad time to be alone." Silas turned around to see three thugs coming up to him.  
  
Silas: "Oh come on! Give me a break! I'm just a kid!" He climbed onto the side of the bridge. "I think you need a new hobby." With that, he fell backwards into the water, and disappeared below the dark surface.  
  
Thugs: "Hey! Where'd he go?" They looked down into the water, bud didn't see anything besides the rippling against the shores.  
  
Silas: (emerges from the water far enough away) "Wow, that's cold!" He shook himself off, and ran home. 


	7. A broken trust

Chapter 7: "A broken trust..."  
  
  
  
He came to school late the next day, after missing the bus earlier. His dad was too busy with his new job to drive him to school, and his bike was still in storage, so he had to walk the three miles. Bummer. When he got there, Mr. Simmons' class had gone to the rear blacktop.  
  
Mr. Simmons: "Silas! Well, you're a little late, but I suppose since you're a new student, I can make an exception."  
  
Silas: "Thanks Mr. Simmons. I would have gotten a ride from my dad, but you know he has a lot on his mind right now."  
  
Mr. Simmons: (nods) "We were just taking a little break from setting up for the reenactment of the battle we discussed in class yesterday. If you'd like to take your place as a defender over there, we'll start again in a few minutes."  
  
Silas started walking over to the right side, where Helga, Gerald, Rhonda, Sid, Sheena, and Eugene had set up a wooden barricade roughly painted like the front of a building. Helga was glaring at Silas as he walked over to help them out. She moved away as he dropped his stuff next to the school wall.  
  
Helga: "Mr. Simmons, I've decided to move over to the other side. Call me a traitor if you must, but they were short a person anyway." She walked over to the other side as Mr. Simmons went over the battle plans.  
  
Silas looked around at everyone. Nothing seemed amiss yet, until he noticed that one person was missing, and he knew he saw his bike out in front.  
  
Silas: "Where's Curly?"  
  
Gerald: "As far as the teachers know, he hit his head on his bedpost this morning. He's in the nurse's office for the black eye that Helga gave him."  
  
Silas: (covers his eyes) "Great! Just great!"  
  
Gerald: "I'd be saying that too if I knew what Helga was going to do to you after school today. She's pretty mad." Silas pulled him over to the side.  
  
Silas: (whispering) "No one believed him, did they?"  
  
Gerald: "Nah. You know how it is. A rumor is a rumor, until it deals with Helga and Arnold. And anything about them that involves them being nice to each other is not to be believed at all. Besides, Helga nailed him before he said much. Just be sure not to say anything to Arnold. He wasn't there, and I don't think he knows."  
  
Silas: "Oh man. What am I going to do? She'll kill me!"  
  
Gerald: "Don't sweat it man. I saw you stand up to her on your first day, and you didn't even know her then. You'll do fine."  
  
Silas: "She won't let this go that easily this time. This wasn't a baseball game. You know about everything that happened, don't you?"  
  
Gerald: "At this point, I wish I didn't know anything about it! The only people I've heard talking about it are Lila, Phoebe, and Nadine. But you were just trying to help, right?"  
  
Silas: "I tried. I just wanted her to be nice for a change. I didn't expect it to get this out of hand."  
  
Gerald: "Ahhh, it'll blow over in a day."  
  
Then Mr. Simmons came out into the middle to continue the instruction. Eugene got tangled up in the netting they were using with one of the virtual siege engines in the reenactment, but luckily they got him free before it sent him flying over the wall.  
Afterwards, the bell rang for lunch, and everyone left, except for Silas, Arnold, and Gerald.  
  
Arnold: "Hey Silas. Helga seemed pretty mad at you this morning."  
  
Silas: "Yeah... Huh huh. Nothing I can't handle, I think..."  
  
Gerald: "See? I told you."  
  
Arnold: "What was all that about? I heard she punched Curly for something."  
  
Silas: "No! He hit his head on the bedpost."  
  
Arnold: "But..."  
  
Silas: "I said, he hit his head." He grabbed up his stuff and ran inside.  
  
Arnold: "What's the matter with him?"  
  
Gerald: "Maybe he's just a little nervous... He got in pretty deep with Helga lately..."  
  
Arnold: "She seemed fine yesterday... She didn't seem too mad when he threw us all in the mud at least..."  
  
Gerald: "Don't worry about it. He can handle it. I think we should sit on the other side of the cafeteria today."  
  
Arnold: "Why?"  
  
Gerald: "No reason... Uh, I just thought, you know, it's always nice for a change... Heh heh..." They went inside.  
  
  
Silas approached the cafeteria door cautiously, peering through the window before opening the door. He saw Helga and Phoebe sitting together at their usual table, but niether of them were talking at all. Helga was scowling more than normal, and Phoebe was simply eating her lunch, trying not watch. None of the others seemed to notice anything about her, nor did they even say anything about what had been said that morning. Silas breathed deeply, and walked in.  
He sat down at Arnold and Gerald's table after getting his lunch, and was quiet as he simply watched her expressions out of the corner of his eye. He turned as Arnold and Gerald came in, but was silent as they passed his table and went to the far side of the cafeteria. Silas understood their thinking, to avoid Helga. Once or twice she caught his eye, and growled at him, but never said a word. After a while, they all left the cafeteria after the bell rang, but Silas remained alone. A few minutes later, he started out of the cafeteria, but was knocked back in as the door smashed open, hitting him in the face. He fell backwards into a table, but regained his footing.  
  
Silas: "Helga! Um... Shouldn't you be in class? The bell rang..."  
  
Helga: "Oh, I think I can afford to be late today..."  
  
Silas: "Now listen to me. I know you're mad..."  
  
Helga: "Mad? Why should I be mad? You only gave away everything to the entire school!"  
  
Silas: "No I didn't! Curly did! He was in the nurse's office because of it!"  
  
Helga: "Oh please! Where do you think he got it? He even told everyone that it was you who told him about it!" She was walking slowly toward him, and Silas was backing away just as slowly, moving chairs and tables to the side as he did.  
  
Silas: "Come on, I didn't really tell him! It was an accident! It could have happened to anyone!"  
  
  
Back in class...  
  
Gerald looked around quickly. Helga and Silas weren't here... He knew what was happening, and swiftly fell out of his chair.  
  
Mr. Simmons: "Gerald? Are you alright?"  
  
Gerald: "Oh yeah... I just got a little dizzy there for a minute. Can I go get a drink?" Mr. Simmons nodded, and Gerald left in a hurry. After getting out of the class, he started running towards the cafeteria.  
  
  
  
Silas: "Hey, listen to me! Calm down, Helga! Give me a break! I almost got mugged last night anyway!"  
  
Helga: "What? Oh please! I trusted you not to tell anyone! You promised you would keep it a secret!"  
  
Silas: "I said it was an accident!" He backed up against a vending machine. "I didn't know he was listening! It's just like when I first found you in that alley!" Helga lunged toward him, and he ducked underneath her arms and ran towards the doors. He almost made it, but tripped when Helga jumped at him and grabbed his legs. "Hey! Let me go!"  
  
Gerald: (runs in) "Helga! What are you doing?"  
  
Helga: "Get out Gerald! This is between us!" She tried to pull him back, but Gerald pulled Silas up.  
  
Gerald: "Come on Helga! Get a grip! What did he do that was so wrong?"  
  
Helga: "You were there! You heard what Curly said! This was all Silas' fault!"  
  
Gerald: "So what? No one believed him anyway! Only Phoebe and Lila knew about it. No one else cares!"  
  
Helga stood up and brushed herself off.  
  
Silas: "Yeah! No one else cares about it. And Arnold still doesn't know!"  
  
Helga: (pauses) "You're right. He still doesn't know." She went into another spell. "Oh Arnold, the secrets of my affection are finally revealed and you still can't acknowledge them... Oh why must it be this way? Is our love ever to be?"  
  
Gerald: "Oh brother." Silas was silent.  
  
Helga: (shakes herself back into reality) "Are you two still here? Fine Silas. I won't kill you. You broke your promise to me. I never want you near me again!"  
  
Silas: "But--!"  
  
Helga: "If you so much as say another word to me about anything, you'll regret it! And don't think you can stand up to me next time! This isn't baseball anymore bucko!" She walked out of the cafeteria, knocking over a few chairs on the way.  
  
Silas: (wipes his brow) "Whoa, that was close."  
  
Gerald: "Yeah. You'll make it. You only have about, what, eight more years around her without ever being able to say a word... No sweat!"  
  
Silas: "Yeah..."  
  
Gerald: "What?! You don't think that's a blessing? Now you won't have to listen to her call you names, and she probably won't throw spitwads at you, or glue your pants to your chair, or anything! I'd trade places with you if I could."  
  
Silas: "You don't understand. I think I'm going to... miss her."  
  
Gerald: "Are you crazy? You two never got along in the first place!"  
  
Silas: "That's not the point! She was one of a kind... I don't understand it... But I think I was starting to... like her..."  
  
Gerald: "Whoa, man. You can't be serious! Helga? You mean just like a friend, right?" Silas shook his head. "Oh man! I wish I hadn't heard that..."  
  
Silas: "There's got to be something I can do. I can't just let this go! I've got to tell Arnold."  
  
Gerald: "But you heard her! If you say anything about this, she'll beat you up so hard, there won't be anything left!"  
  
Silas: "If he hears it from someone else, he'll think it's just a joke! I was talking to him earlier... He thinks Helga's playing some sort of trick on him, like when we went to the park yesterday... If someone else tells him, then he'll start avoiding her, and then she'll get mad, and start tormenting him again... You know that, right?"  
  
Gerald: (holds his head) "Man, I don't know how you come up with this stuff without a major headache... But if you need my help..."  
  
Silas: "Thanks Gerald. Call him to the arcade tomorrow at about three."  
  
Gerald: "Sure. We'll be there." The both went back to class.  
  
Mr. Simmons: "Well, where have you two been?"  
  
Gerald: "Oh, I found him coughing by his locker when I went for a drink, Mr. Simmons... I think there's something going around..."  
  
Mr. Simmons: "Oh dear, I think you're right. Helga was giving the same symptoms as you Gerald. Well, let's hope it doesn't get any worse. If you need to go to the nurse, then go ahead."  
  
Silas: "Nah, I think we'll be fine." 


	8. Together at last! What about Silas?

Chapter 8: "Together at last! What about Silas?"  
  
  
  
Next day was Saturday. Silas woke up early and went downstairs for breakfast. Silas' dad was making omlettes. Silas looked tired as he entered the kitchen in his sweats.  
  
Dad: "What's the matter, son? Rough night?" He paused. "You didn't have another run in with those muggers, did you?"  
  
Silas: "No. I just couldn't sleep much. I have a big day today."  
  
Dad: "My omlettes should give you back what you need, huh?"  
  
Mom: "Well Silas, what did you have planned for today? You seem pretty busy lately. Made some new friends?"  
  
Silas: "Yeah, and a few enemies too."  
  
Dad: "What? What happened?"  
  
Silas: "What makes me get so involved in things I don't need to get into?"  
  
Mom: "I don't understand."  
  
Silas: "Let's just say, I tried to help a good friend out, and she didn't want my help, so I helped her anyway, and now she hates me. What should I do?"  
  
Mom: "If you were just doing it to help... That's a tough one."  
  
Dad: "Nonsense! Did it help anyway?"  
  
Silas: "Well, yeah. It did. But I broke a promise to her to do it, and now she wants to kill me."  
  
Mom: "Oh, you kids. I don't think it's that bad."  
  
Silas: "Trust me mom. It's bad."  
  
Dad: "Well, son. You always have to think with your heart. If you did what was right, then that's all that matters. And when your little friend kills you, then you'll be happy knowing it was for a good cause." He ruffled his hair a bit. "Now, let's get some food before you go today, huh?"  
  
Silas: "Thanks dad. Mom, what do you think? I'm probably going to do something really stupid today, but I have to anyway."  
  
Mom: "Silas, if you're afraid of what this person will do to you, then you need to think about what it will get you. But friends are worth fighting for. Do you think you're right?"  
  
Silas: "Yes. If I don't do something, it will get worse. But then she'll hate me even more for trying again."  
  
Mom: "Remember that time last year with those scottish kids... What were they called... The campfire something or other? Anyway, your friend was in trouble, and you knew he couldn't do anything to escape it. You risked getting kicked out of that group, just to help him. Just do what you think is right, Silas."  
  
They sat down for breakfast then, and Silas stuck about for a few hours, helping around the house before leaving for the arcade. It took about an hour to get there, and Gerald and Arnold were playing Dirt Rush Racing against each other while waiting for him. Silas came up and watched them finish their game.  
  
Arnold: "Whoa, that was cool!" He got up from the chair, away from his smoking car sitting in the dirt along the side of the track.  
  
Gerald: "Yeah man, we should come here more often." He looked at Silas. "Come on guys. Let's head back to the park."  
  
They walked awhile down the street, until they arrived on the same bridge they had left a few nights earlier. Arnold looked across at the geese attacking the picnickers and their food.  
  
Arnold: "So, guys. Whacha want to do today?"  
  
Silas: "Come on, maybe we'd better sit down." They did so on the riverbank. The geese came by for a minute before realizing they had no food, and left. "Arnold, I have something to tell you, about yesterday."  
  
Gerald: (sighed) "I think we both do." Arnold remained silent as they both related their stories to him. At first he tried joking with them, thinking they were trying to trick him. Later on, he remained serious as they told him everything. About how Silas first found out about it, his and Gerald's run in at the lockers, Helga's encounter at the dump (although he didn't tell about what was inside it), and finally, how Helga had tried time and again to be nice to him for a change, but failed miserably because of her own reputation, and finally, how Helga and Silas were now enemies because of what Curly had heard at this same spot in the park.  
  
Silas: "So now, if I say anything else to her about anything, she'll practically kill me."  
  
Arnold was silent for awhile.  
  
Gerald: "Well? Arnold? Say something!"  
  
Arnold: "Silas, why did you tell me this? If she finds out, you're in trouble!"  
  
Silas: (looks down) "I don't care... If you found out from someone else, or nothing had happened, she'd have been just as mean to you as always. Then you'd never have the same feelings back for her."  
  
Arnold: "But, you two hate each other. Why would you want to help her?"  
  
Silas: "I never hated her. I just wanted to see her be a nice person for a change. She could always stand a little lesson in humility. But now that she's not speaking to me anymore..."  
  
Gerald: "What he's trying to say is that he likes her now. Not just likes her, but likes her likes her. The same way you feel for Lila. You're both sick kids, if you ask me." He leaned back on the grass. "And now I'm in trouble, because I stopped her from killing him yesterday, and now I'm telling you everything. If Silas goes down, I'm going down too."  
  
Arnold: "Come on Gerald. It's not that bad. Maybe I can talk to her."  
  
Silas: "About what?"  
  
Arnold: "Not staying mad at you two. I know how she can get sometimes... Silas, you got me in trouble with her, and I realized that when she's mad, she can get pretty tough. But you've stood up to her before. What's the big deal?"  
  
Silas: "If I try that again, two things will happen. Either I'll win against her and she hates me more, or I let her win, and maybe she might realize that I was just trying to help her, and we could be friends..."  
  
Just then Helga and Phoebe came up from over the bridge. Helga was laughing, and Silas had hoped she had forgotten about yesterday... She stopped, however, when she saw the three of them on the bank. Silas and Gerald stood, but Arnold remained sitting, watching them all.  
  
Silas and Gerald: "Maybe we should go, Arnold." They started walking away. Helga ran up to Silas when he was out of earshot of Arnold, and grabbed his arm.  
  
Helga: "Tell me you didn't!"  
  
Silas was silent. Gerald spoke up.  
  
Gerald: "Just talk to him. He'll explain everything."  
  
Helga: "I can't believe this! You too Gerald? Why can't you just leave me alone, Silas?" Silas still remained silent. Phoebe came over and saw the look in Helga's eyes.  
  
Gerald: "Because he's your friend, Helga. Maybe you could take the time to see that!"  
  
Phoebe: "Come on Helga. Perhaps we shouldn't be here." They started to turn around, but saw Arnold coming up to them. Silas and Gerald were off like a shot out of the park. Phoebe saw what was going to happen, and left after them as well. "I'll see you later, Helga. Um..." She looked at Arnold. "Bye."  
  
Helga watched them both leave. She stood there for a long time, her heart beating for what she knew would come.  
  
Arnold: ".................Well, that Silas. What a great guy, huh?"  
  
Helga: (turning to him) "What? Are you kidding?...... Um, so... I hope I didn't interrupt anything here. Maybe I'd better go catch up with Phoebe..."  
  
Arnold: "Helga, Silas told me about everything."  
  
Helga: "Everything? What could you possibly mean by that? Ah ha ha ha.... Uhhhhhh..."  
  
Arnold: "I know why you two were fighting yesterday."  
  
Helga: "Fighting? Us? Why would we do something like that?"  
  
Arnold: "I suppose it's better that he told me about this instead of me hearing it from Curly yesterday."  
  
Helga: "Listen Arnold... I know you think I'm a big mean jerk sometimes, and I would understand it if you......."  
  
Arnold: "What? You think that because of the way you've treated me... the way you always call me football-head, yellow-haired shrimp, that kid with the weird-shaped head, the way you always throw spitwads at me, and make fun of me, and push me down? You think that would make me not like you?"  
  
Helga: "No! Of course not! Why would I think that? It was all in good fun anyway, huh? Ha ha ha..... Um... I just thought..."  
  
Arnold: "Listen to me, Helga. We've known each other for a long time. Even after the way you treated everyone, I knew that inside, there was someone who could really care. Silas told me about that person. I think you are that person."  
  
Helga: "......................... Thanks Arnold... I've been waiting to hear that from you for a long time..."  
  
Arnold: "Then why didn't you ever tell me?"  
  
Helga: ".........I don't know... I guess I just needed to know if you could see how I really felt. I was afraid that if I told you after all this time, that... that you wouldn't even care anymore. I've loved you for a long time, Arnold. I just wasn't sure if you would ever be able to return it..."  
  
Arnold: "Oh..."  
  
They stood there awkwardly for a minute.  
  
Arnold: "Helga, you've always been a good friend to me, even though it didn't seem like it... I've seen what a good person you could be. I.... Uh... That is... In a way, I've always....... loved you too..."  
  
Helga: "You have? Really?"  
  
Arnold: "Sure. You remember the other day in the ice cream shoppe? When I saw you and Silas together, I, uh..... that is, I got a little jealous... I had always thought that I would maybe I would have a chance to be your friend once you you had gotten over torturing me... I guess I was just upset at thinking I had lost my chance..."  
  
Helga: "But........! But what about Lila?"  
  
Arnold: "Lila? Well, I did like her... but lately, it seems like it wasn't going anywhere. She liked me once, but I didn't realize it until it was too late. I guess it wasn't meant to be anyway. After all, it was just because some jerk wrote on the wall that I loved Lila."  
  
Helga: (gulps) "Yeah, a jerk. Huh huh. About the other day, Arnold... I... I was the one who gave you that letter..."  
  
Arnold: "You?"  
  
Helga: "Yeah. I guess..."  
  
Arnold: "I wouldn't have believed it when I first saw... But I'm glad you were thinking of me anyway. Ha ha ha. But, you know... Silas is really hurt now."  
  
Helga: (angry) "Why should I care about him? He lied to me!"  
  
Arnold: "He did it as a friend."  
  
Helga: "Some friend. All he did was dangle the fact that he could tell everyone about me in front of my nose!"  
  
Arnold: "I shouldn't tell you this, but he left today saying how much he liked you. Maybe you two could be friends again."  
  
Helga: (sighs) "Well...... maybe."  
  
Arnold: (smiles) "Yes yes. Well, now that we're both clear on our feelings.... Um... maybe you and I could, um, you know... Do something together sometime?" He held out his hand. "Come on. It's getting pretty late. I'll walk you home."  
  
Helga: (smiles back) "Thanks Arnold." She took his hand, and they walked back across the bridge and out of the park.  
  
  
Silas didn't see anyone until Monday again. He stayed in his room the entire day Sunday, thinking about how much Helga would pound him on Monday for telling Arnold everything. Would Arnold even accept her? Silas had seen how much they didn't get along. Arnold might laugh at her, thinking her foolish after all she had done... Or maybe he would be surprised, and she would be happy with the one she loves... Well, he'd find out the next day...  
  
Monday comes around. Silas decided to ride his bike to school... It had just been taken out of storage, and it took him about fifteen minutes to get there. The school bus was just arriving when he got there. He parked his bike, and hid behind the wall to see what happened....  
Everything looked normal as they all got off the bus. Gerald and Arnold got off first, then a few others, then Curly, his eye looking less puffy than on Friday, and then Helga and Phoebe. Helga looked a bit happier this Monday. Not as angry as normal. Perhaps it had worked... She didn't do anything mean to Arnold yet... Silas stood there as they all walked into the school, and he followed after a few minutes.  
The bell was several minutes from ringing, and Silas walked slowly through the halls, watching for anything out of the ordinary. He wasn't expecting someone to push him from behind into the wall. Well, maybe he was, so it didn't surprise him much.  
  
Silas: "Go ahead Helga." He turned around, and saw her glaring angrily at him. "I know what I did. Go ahead and pummel me." Her arms went up, and Silas closed his eyes quickly. What he felt was unexpected. She was actually hugging him! Helga? Here? Where everyone could see?  
  
Helga: (releases him) "Arnold told me about what you said to him. I didn't know you really cared about me."  
  
Silas: "He.... Um, he..." He coughed, and then fell to the floor.  
  
Helga: "Look Silas." She helped him up. "I know how you felt that day in the park. I also know you were just trying to help me. Maybe, we could be friends again."  
  
Silas: "You thought of me as a friend?"  
  
Helga: (pauses) "Well, maybe for awhile there... But I think we can forget what happened."  
  
Silas: "You mean, you don't hate me anymore?"  
  
Helga: "No. You helped bring Arnold and me together. I thought you were just doing it to bother me. But I can see you really cared. Thank you."  
  
Silas: (sighs relief) "Um... Sure. Don't mention it. What're friends for?" He paused. "Since Arnold said what he did, you know how I feel about you. But I won't stand in your way. I'm just glad we can be friends."  
  
The bell rang, and they both walked to class. Silas was still sitting behind Nadine, and he watched Helga and Arnold smile at each other as they sat down. He smiled to himself, knowing that everything was fine between them now.  
  
  
  
Nadine turned around to him.  
  
Nadine: "So, Silas. I see everything worked out for the best, huh?"  
  
Silas: "What? I wouldn't know what you're talking about..."  
  
Nadine: "Helga told me all about it that day at the park. Well, anyway... Hey! That new carnival starts this Wednesday! You, um, you wanna go?"  
  
Silas: (looks over at Helga, smiles, and turns back) "Sure Nadine. That would be great!"  
  
  
-The End 


End file.
